French company developing rotary-engined hybrid motorcycle

Furion M1 will use rotary and electric power for up to 180hp

FRENCH company Furion Motorcycles wants to make the bike of the future and is currently developing a hybrid motorcycle that it’s working to bring to market.

Called the Furion M1, the naked machine will be powered by ‘the exotic interbreeding’ of a 654cc two-rotor rotary engine offering about 125hp and 40kw electric engine powered by lithium batteries, offering around 55hp.

The M1’s two power sources are housed in a steel trellis frame.

Power and consumption will depend on what mode the bike is in – long range mode for the best fuel economy, or sport mode, with bike’s full 180hp working together to deliver the most visceral experience.

Dry weight is a claimed 195kg and the rest of the spec looks right enough to us – 43mm adjustable forks at the front, an adjustable monoshock and four-piston radial front brakes.

Furion says the bike will offer high performance with record consumption – 400 km on 16 litres of fuel.

The company is headed up by designer Marc Evenisse and consultant Adrien Chareyre, with Evenisse saying that the M1 ‘offers a serious introduction to the bike of tomorrow’.

The bike is still at the concept stage at the moment, so there’s no word on when it may become a reality, but if hybrid bikes look as interesting and exotic as this, we’re sold.